Angie gripped me in a hard hug. “Rocky is locked up. There’s too much evidence against him.” She stepped back from me to look at my face with both hands on my shoulders. “His reign of terror is over. It’s really over, Delphia.”
“We need cocktails! Celebrations all around,” Jaz cheered.
I grinned as I felt the heat from Bear’s gaze across the room. We connected and my lips were locked in a silent smile, letting him know all was well.
Feedback over the mike stopped everybody in the room for a moment, “Hi, now that everyone is here I feel the need to drop in with a quick speech,” Bones announced.
I looked around at all the bikers, the old ladies and friends of the MC brothers in attendance. The electric energy was palpable. From the way Bear described things, the Rebel Saints had battled long and hard to gain ownership of the casino.
“I say quick, but let’s see how this goes.” Bones cleared his throat as he put his fingers on the pool table.
Everyone laughed.
He went on, “We’ve been through a lot of battles and transitions as a club over the last couple of years and it hasn’t been easy. We’ve had our eye on the Red Stone Casino for a loooong time.”
The men all jeered at the statement.
“But we’ve won the war. There’s a new chapter opening for the club, and as Rebel Saints we always make it through. Every step has been worth it.” He nodded his head as tears formed in his eyes. He really cared about the club, and it showed.
“You did it, Bones! Keep going,” Smoke called out as he raised his drink in encouragement.
Bones grinned and cocked an eyebrow at him with a glass raise of his own. “Thanks. On top of that, we are going to start dipping our feet into the security detail world. It’s going to be new for us and that’s just what we need.” The whole place was quiet as Bones looked into every face in the place. “I’m proud of each and every one of you. We’re all in this together. I’m proud to have you all on board at the Rebel Saints. We went legit and it has paid off. Let’s make the next chapter even better. I want everybody in the place to have a good time tonight and let loose!”
Cheers and laughter rang out.
Just then, Bear crossed the room to reach me.
Jaz and Angie and I were headed to the bar to kick the celebrations off with a drink. Chalk was dancing around the pool table with his pool stick. Bones and another guy, Coyote, were hugging and there were even tears flowing. A couple of other brothers who I didn’t know were in the building. It seemed like a big event. I felt like I was a part of something super special. Mia was being given a congratulatory kiss by Numbers, her partner, and I was overjoyed to be a part of it all.
Bear clasped my hand at the bar. “You’re a real survivor, Delphia. I want you to have a good time okay? There’s a lot of celebration going on… for both of us, and it’s just the beginning.” His warm, yummy lips took possession of mine.
Despite the crowd around us, we fell into the kiss like we always did. There was no one else but us in this moment.
Finally he pulled back and looked into my eyes.
As always, he’d lit my fire on the inside. “With you by my side, I feel like it is a new beginning,” I gave him a simple answer loaded with the promise of a future between Bear and me.
Sometimes... you have to stop running and face your fears in order to grow.